John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

129

30. VI:10. Round Capitol Square. 1 hour 10 minutes. Sun rose 5 minutes before I got back.

Smith Joseph Huntt Dr Henry Addison— use of Corcoran Sanford— Nathan Thomas— Jesse B. Trumbull. Coll. John Clay— Henry Rush— Richard Barbour— James Southard— Saml. L Wirt— William. Randall. Coll. Thomas

Joseph Smith was a poor man, from Frederick County, Maryland, who came to see me before breakfast, for curiosity’s sake, and also to obtain some assistance. Dr. Huntt came very seriously to put me on my guard against Dr. Todson the assistant Surgeon cashiered by sentence of a Court martial, for embezzlement of public Stores; which sentence I have recently revised; and declined renominating him to the Senate— Huntt said he was credibly informed that Todson had determined to murder me, for revenge, and that he had thought it necessary to inform me of this to put me upon my guard— He at first intimated that the person who had given him this information, desired not to be known— But afterwards told me it was Coll Randall, Todson’s Counsel; who was fully convinced it was no idle threat of Todson’s, but what he would Attempt to execute— He said Randall himself would see me if I desired— I requested Huntt to say to Randall, I should be glad to see him. I added that I knew not anything that I could do by way of precaution. Huntt said I should do well to refuse to receive him if he should come and ask to see me— Corcoran came to my Son John, claiming a mortgage from Easter on the house that was his, prior to my mortgage, and even prior to Easter having any Deeds of the land himself. Corcoran supposes he has a lien upon the house, gave John an authority from Johnson’s Chancery Reports to the point, and proposed to submit the question amicably to the Circuit Court now in Session here— Sanford and Thomas are Senators, and came to pay visits on their arrival— Coll. Trumbull brought and left here a large Port-Folio, containing four engravings from pictures painted by him— The Battle of Bunker’s Hill, the Death of Montgomery, the Declaration of Independence, and the Sortie at Gibraltar, and inscribed on the outside of the Port-Folio, as presented by him to the President of the United States 1826. All the members of the Administration came about one O’Clock, having discussed together the draft of the annual message: which they brought back, having marked several passages, which they thought it would be expedient to strike out or to alter— I did accordingly strike out, or alter them with one exception of little importance— I had prepared and read an additional paragraph, to accompany the Report of the Board of Engineers upon the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. At the close of this paragraph, I had introduced a most earnest, and emphatic recommendation of it to Congress— Mr Clay said that he entertained opinions upon that subject, which he was almost afraid to express—he did however express them, and they were of the most decisive character against the whole project— He thought notwithstanding the Report of the Board of Engineers that its practicability was doubtful— He believed that at all Events, its cost would rather exceed than fall short of the Estimates of the Board, twenty-two Millions of Dollars, and when accomplished he believed it would be comparatively speaking of small utility— It would not divert the great mass of the trade of the Western Country from New-York and Philadelphia— It would be 130of very little service to this City, although the people here expected so much from it; and with the exception of the small district of Country closely bordering on the line through which the Canal must pass, there was very little interest felt in it any where; and none at all in the Western Country generally. Governor Barbour coincided much with these views of Mr Clay, and superadded to them a much stronger doubt of the practicability of the undertaking, founded upon an opinion expressed by Mr Gallatin— Mr Rush contested these opinions, which are diametrically opposite to those urged with great force in the Report of the Board of Engineers, from which I read several passages setting forth in lively colours the great importance of the work— Still inclining to the same belief, I concluded however, as there was so much diversity of sentiment in the Cabinet, to leave the Report of the Board of Engineers, to stand upon its own strength, and struck out the whole recommendatory part of the paragraph— Governor Barbour enquired if I had prepared a paragraph upon the Report of the Board of Officers, proposing a new organization of the Militia— I had not; and I said that upon examining the Report, I had not been altogether satisfied that the project proposed by the Board would be expedient; and still less, that it would be approved in Congress— The part of it which provided for reducing the numbers and the term of Militia-service, I thought good, and likely to prove acceptable—but the application of two or three hundred thousand dollars a year, for paying militia-Officers to receive Instruction, was in my mind of doubtful policy, and not likely to obtain favour in Congress. Mr Barbour said he had abstained from any recommendation of the plan of the Board himself, and did not wish for any in the Message. Mr Clay spoke of the application by Mr Johnston of Louisiana, for a recommendation of measures for the Settlement of Land titles in the purchased Territories; and said Mr Scott of Missouri, had some projects about which he had conversed with him, but which he did not approve— It was near five when the Members of the Administration withdrew— Coll. Randall had called upon me, and confirmed the intimations given me before by Dr Huntt— He said Todson had avowed to him his determination to assassinate me; and that he believed it was no idle menace— That the man was desperate, and upon this subject perfectly mad. That he fancied he should redeem his character by Revenge— That he represented himself as the victim of a party combination against him, and that I had lent myself to it— That he considered his own innocence of the charges of which he was convicted by the Court Martial to be so clear and palpable; that no impartial person could possibly doubt it, and that I had shewn I had joined the conspiracy against him by refusing to give him Bishop DuBourg’s Letter to me, in his favour— Randall said he was convinced Todson would make the attempt; for he was a man who would do more than he would say— That he had said every thing in his power to dissuade him from his purpose, and had felt himself bound to give me this notice, lest possibly Todson might take the opportunity to perpetrate the deed, in one of my morning walks— I thanked Randall for his communication, and said that in Todson’s case I had discharged a painful, but an indispensable duty— I could not disapprove, or reverse the decision of the Court Martial against him, upon his mere allegation of their partiality— As to Bishop DuBourg’s Letter, it was addressed to me; and Todson had no right to ask me for it— But the simple truth was that when he asked for it, I could not find it; perhaps it had been sent to the War Department; but it could not be necessary for Todson, for he had among his papers, another Letter from the Bishop to the same effect— I added that it was impossible for me to guard myself against the hand of an Assassin, but I was nevertheless obliged to him for his information— He said he should see Todson again this day, and would let me know, if any thing further should occur to require it. He said Todson declared to him that he did not intend to fly, but would take his revenge, thus redeem his character, and abide by the consequences— Randall is a phrenologist, and with the utmost seriousness avowed that his apprehensions arose in part from Todson’s having a most extraordinary organ of destructiveness— The tendency of this observation was to throw an aspect of ridicule upon the whole affair— But Randall is a man of great firmness and intrepidity, and has no motive in this disclosure, but of friendly concern for me; and to relieve himself from all responsibility of being privy to the purpose of this desperate man, without putting me upon my guard against him— I am in the hands of a higher Power.

131

We had a diplomatic company to dine— The Baron and Madame de Mareuil, the Chevalier Bangeman Huygens, Minister from the Netherlands and his Son— (his Lady being confined by illness—[)] Mr Vaughan, Minister from Great-Britain, with Mr Bankhead, Secretary to the Legation, and Mrs Bankhead; Baron Maltitz, Chargé d’Affaires from Russia, and his Lady—Anthony St. John Baker, Consul General from Great Britain, and his Sister—Mr James Baker his brother, and his Lady—Mr Durant St. André Consul-General of France and his Lady—Mr de Bresson, and Mr Hersant, of the French Legation, and his Lady—Mr Sonntag of the French, and Messrs. Doyle and Ouseley of the British Legation—Baron de Stackelberg, Chargé d’Affaires from Sweden, Mr Gonzalez Chargé d’Affaires from Guatemala, and Mr Ferdinand Lucchesi, Consul General of the two Sicilies, and of the Pope— It is the first time the Ladies of the Corps Diplomatique have dined with us at this house. Mrs Adams was able to be present at the table. The company retired between nine and ten in the Evening.